Screw filter press

ABSTRACT

A screw filter press comprising a screw shaft, having at least one coil turn and two screw shaft ends. The shaft axis is parallel to the gravity vector and is supported by screw shaft upper end connected to a rotary drive. The screw shaft is enclosed a filter area by a cylindrical filter tube, with openings and which is adjacent radially to a filtrate space, to which underpressure is applied. The sliding tube radially surrounding the screw shaft is the same inner diameter as the filter tube. Radial play occurs between at last one coil turn adjoining the filter tube proximate to the filter tube inner wall.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/063,479, filed on Mar. 11, 2011, which application is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a screw filter press, which is verticallyarranged in the space, in which a suspension of finely distributed solidmatter is accommodated in a liquid (so-called suspension) with the helpof a screw shaft, which is supported and driven on one side at the uppershaft end and which encompasses at least one, but preferably two or morecoil turns or “coils” in short, from a supply tube located on the bottomand is supplied to the top along the coils, wherein the solid matterreaches upwards to the discharge opening as solid cake along the coils,while the liquid discharges into a filtrate space via a cylindricalfilter tube, which coaxially surrounds the screw shaft at least in alower partial area, and is sucked off from there.

Description of the Prior Art

A screw filter press of the above type is known from DE 10 2005 002 997A1. In the case of this known screw filter press, in the case of whichthe screw shaft is driven on top by means of a motor and in the case ofwhich the screw shaft is supported on one side on the top below themotor, the cylindrical filter tube reaches into the level of thedischarge opening and the screw shaft encompasses a play of 0.1 to 0.3mm to the cylindrical filter tube on the entire length.

Furthermore, the screw shaft with the filter tube reaches virtually tothe bottom of the inlet or the inlet tube, which is arranged at thelower end of the screw shaft. The disadvantage of this known screwfilter press is that the openings of the filter tube close after arelatively short time, because the coil bars or flanges, wear out,because solid matter, such as sand, deposits at the bottom of the inletand thus block the entire inlet, and that the filter cake accumulateseasily in the upper part of the coils or the filter cake clumps.

A further disadvantage is that larger pieces, such as rocks, are spunupwards by the suction of the suspension in the lower part of the inlettube and reach into the coils, which leads to damages to the coils andto the filter tube.

A further comparable screw press can be found in AT 411 892 B, whichprovides for specifically embodied coil flange attachments, which are toprevent an adhesion or clogging of the dewatering openings, which areprovided in the filter tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention overcomes the disadvantages of the known screw filterpress and is a screw filter press with small technical effort, in whicha high dry substance content, which can be regulated, as well as a highthroughput of solid matter are possible. A pre-separation of coarsesolid matter is furthermore possible in the suspension supply, so as toensure an interruption-free operation.

According to the invention, a screw filter press, as in DE 10 2005 002997 A1, comprises a screw shaft, which has at least one coil turn andtwo screw shaft ends, the shaft axis of which is oriented parallel tothe gravity vector and which is supported on one side via the upperscrew shaft end thereof is connected to a rotary drive and which iscoaxially surrounded by a cylindrical filter tube, which is providedwith openings, at least in its lower partial area in a filter area, towhich filter tube a filtrate space adjoins radially to whichunderpressure can be applied. A sliding tube radially surrounds thescrew shaft in the direction of the upper screw shaft end in afluid-tight manner, follows coaxially to the filter tube at the sameinner diameter as the filter tube, with the sliding tube correspondingto a cylindrical sliding area. The at least one coil turn of the screwshaft ends radially to the screw shaft in a flange, which revolveshelically around the screw shaft and adjoins the filter tube in the areaof the filter tube either indirectly or directly at the inner wall.

By arranging a cylindrical sliding tube and a sliding area to have thesame inner diameter as the filter area, the solid cake is supplied tothe discharge opening without a constriction. The length of the slidingarea, which preferably corresponds to approximately half of the lengthof the filter area, as well as play, which is preferably availablebetween the outer flanges of the coils and the inner diameter of thesliding area, which causes the solid cake to attain a certainconsistency to form a block against the penetration of air from theoutside and that the solid cake does not clump in the sliding area inthe coils.

The wiping of the solid matter takes place in an optimal manner bypreferably arranging abrasion-resistant, elastic elements at the outerflanges of the coils, which are inserted into the filter tube under lowprestress. In addition, the elastic elements form the outer flanges witha sliding transition to the coils. The solid matter does not accumulateat any flange and the drainage of the solid matter is not impeded.

The embodiment of the actual wiping lip with a width of 1-3 mm and aheight of 2-5 mm has proven to be particularly advantageous. Due to thefact that the elastic lip is made of polyurethane (so-called cellvulcollan). The elasticity of the material in the case of thesedimensions has a particularly favorable impact on the wiping effect andthe service life of the lips is accordingly long.

For a start, a production of the elastic elements as prefabricatedindividual parts, which are glued into grooves at the outer flange ofthe coils or which are connected to the outer flange of the groove viaadhesion, represents a method, which is simple to manufacture and whichallows the production of cost-efficient elastic elements. On the otherhand, the adhesion into the grooves ensures the discharge, which isrequired for the solid cake, because the flow of the solid matter alongthe coils is not impeded.

A radial play of 0.1 to 0.3 mm in the sliding area ensures that aclumping of the solid matter in response to a set speed and theunderpressure applied at the filtrate space does not take place on thecoils or in the sliding area.

The consistency of the solid matter stopper can be changed in thesliding area by changing the speed of the screw shaft and/or by changingthe underpressure in the filtrate space, so as to attain an optimalsolid cake.

In the start-up phase, in which solid matter has not yet been separatedinto the grooves, the applied underpressure to the filtration is alreadyeffective, because the same liquid level is attained in the sliding areaby the liquid level in the catch basin via the tube bank. Thedescription of a filter arrangement is explained in more detail in FIG.3.

The screw filter press has the advantage that the initially empty coilgrooves can quickly fill with a solid matter stopper in response to thestart-up, because external air cannot reach into the suction space viathe filter tube in the filled state, even in response to a low liquidlevel in the catch basin. The operational underpressure thus adjustsimmediately and the differential pressure between atmosphere andunderpressure in the suction space acts on the solid matter stopper asdewatering pressure.

The solid matter stopper better overcomes the force created for escapingtowards the top. Conveying grooves are within the inner wall of thesliding tube, which, in addition to the drainage, form an additionalresistance in a peripheral direction of the coils and thus favor thesolid matter transport through the coil bar, which is beveled at anangle of preferably 45° upwards opposite to the pressing direction. Inprinciple, angles between 20° to 60° are suitable for the coil pitch.However, pitch angles of between 30° and 50° are particularly preferredfor the coil turn.

The solid throughput can thus be increased in the case of the same coilgrooves. When the suspension has a lower solid matter content, the lowersolid matter transport, which is required, can be adapted to the demandby reducing the speed.

By arranging a supply line or a tube bank and the screw shaft nozzle,which projects into it, as well as by a back and forth suspension flowin the tube space of the supply due to the level-controlled catch basin,the suspension is kept homogenous and it is possible for larger solidmatter to be retained in the supply line or in the tube bank, thusleading to a large operational dependability. This tube space can beinspected and can be cleaned, if necessary, by means of the shut-offvalves, which are arranged at the respective ends.

A coil pitch of the screw shaft in a range of from 30°-50° has apositive impact on the separation and conveyance of such suspensions.

The use of an odd number of coils has a positive impact on the assemblyof the screw shaft into the filter tube, because the elastic elements,which are inserted into the filter tube under a small prestress, therebydo not directly face one another.

The fact that the collar of the screw shaft is embodied as part of theclaw coupling and the counterpart of the claw coupling is attached tothe motor as a hub, results in a reliable, simple coupling, which mainlyconsiders the scarce space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in an exemplary manner below by means ofexemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings without limitingthe general idea of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a screw filter pressaccording to the invention, which stands upright;

FIG. 2a shows a flange embodiment of the coils in the filter area incross section along section A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2b shows an alternative flange embodiment of the coils in thefilter area along section A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2c shows a further alternative flange embodiment of the coils inthe filter area provided with the screw shaft being polyurethane, calledcell vulcollan, along section A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2d shows the flange embodiment of the coils and of the conveyinggrooves in the sliding area along section B-B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an attachment comprising four screw filter presses, whichare connected in series and connected to a tube bank; and

FIGS. 4a-c show sectional views through the screw coils in differentaxial layers along the screw coil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A drivable screw shaft 10 standing upright, that is, parallel to theacting gravity, is coaxially arranged in an upright housing 1 comprisinga center axis 2.

The housing, which is arranged to be upright, has a plurality of parts,wherein the individual parts are connected to one another via flanges.The lower part 24 of the housing encompasses a larger outer diameterthan the upper part 28 of the housing, which is flange-mounted thereon.In the lower housing part 24, the filter tube 3 is arranged coaxially tothe screw shaft 10. The filtrate space 5 is located between filter tube3 and housing inner wall 6.

The lower housing part 24, in which the filter tube 3 is held betweenthe upper and lower housing flanges 8, 9, where the filtrate drainsthrough the filter tube, will also be referred hereinbelow as filterarea F. The upper flange 8 is embodied as fixed bearing for holding thefilter tube, while the housing flange 9 only prevents a radialdisplacement of the filter tube 3.

If necessary, the filter tube 3 has openings ranging from 0.05 to 1 mm,so that the liquid of the suspension can drain through the openings ofthe filter tube 3 into the filtrate space 5 between housing inner wall 6and filter tube outer wall 7.

The filter tube 3 can be a perforated plate, wherein the through holesare open towards the housing inner wall 6. The filter tube 3, however,can also be a cylindrical disk filter with openings which also opentowards the housing inner wall 6, thus opening conically or in a funneltoward the housing inner wall. This embodiment of the hole has theadvantage that the holes themselves virtually do not clog.

The filtrate space 5, which is formed between housing inner wall 6 andfilter tube outer wall 7 is defined upwards by the flange 8, which isconnected to the housing 1 and which is embodied as described.

The filtrate space 5 is defined downwardly by the housing flange 9, inwhich the filter tube 3 is supported such that it cannot displaceradially. Above the housing flange 9, a filtrate drain nozzle 11,through which the liquid of the suspension drains from the filtratespace 5 or is pumped off, is attached laterally.

In terms of this description, a suspension is understood to be asuspension of finely distributed solid matter in a liquid, such as it ispresent in so-called slurry or so-called manure, e.g.

The filtrate drain valve 11 can be closed by a valve 12, such as a ballvalve.

A sliding tube 4 is attached with its lower tube flange 13 onto theflange 8, which defines the filtrate space 5 upwardly towards the drivemotor/rotary drive 15 located on the top, and is connected to the flange8, by screws.

The longitudinal axis of the attached sliding tube 4 and thelongitudinal axis of the screw shaft 10 are congruent with the centeraxis 2. The inner diameter of the filter tube 3 and the inner diameterof the sliding tube 4 are also equal so that the filter area F and thesliding area G have the same inner diameter.

The upper part of the housing 28 is defined upwardly by means of a plate18. The discharge opening 20 for the solid matter of the suspension islocated below the plate 18. The coils 14 of the screw shaft 10 end at adistance to the plate 18. The screw shaft 10 itself, which encompasses acollar 30 at the end, is guided up to the drive shaft of the drive motor15, by an electric motor, and is connected thereto in a rotary manner,by a hub 19, which supports the coupling 17 at the lower end.

The screw shaft 10 preferably encompasses two or more coils 14. An oddnumber of coils is particularly advantageous. A number of five hasproven to be particularly advantageous in tests. It goes without sayingthat the number of coils depends on the diameter of the screw shaft. Thediameter was 75 mm in tests.

In the exemplary embodiment, the screw shaft 10 thus has five coils 14with a diameter of 75 mm comprising a coil pitch of preferably 45°. Thecoil pitch α should preferably be in a range of from 30° to 50°.

The screw shaft 10 is driven via a drive motor 15. The drive motor 15 isconnected to the screw shaft in peripheral direction via a coupling 17,such as a claw coupling (not illustrated in detail).

The attachment of the drive motor 15 takes place on the support plate16, which is also located on top by screw bolts. The support plate isattached to the housing 1, which stands upright, above the support ofthe screw shaft.

The support of the screw shaft, which accommodates axial as well asradial forces, is integrated into the plate 18 of the upper housingpart.

The support plate 16, to the upper side of which the motor 15 isattached, encompasses a distance to the plate 18, which is used toconnect or couple the screw shaft to the motor.

A discharge opening 20 is arranged at the upper end of the upper housingpart. A chute 21, on which the solid matter is conveyed to the dischargeopenings, glides into a catch basin (not illustrated), and is connectedto the discharge opening.

The supply of the suspension takes place via a housing nozzle 22, whichis flange-mounted to the housing flange 9 of the lower housing.

The housing nozzle is molded such that the screw shaft 10 reachesapproximately into the center of the tube-shaped supply line 23 or tubebank 40, through the part, which is directly connected to the lowerhousing as shown in FIG. 3. In the area of the supply, the supply line23 together with the housing nozzle is a one-piece part, to which thesupply line parts are welded or flange-mounted (not illustrated).

In the event that a screw filter press is used, the one side of thehousing nozzle serves as connection to the supply line and the sidelocated opposite thereto serves to couple the tube into alevel-maintaining catch basin 25, which ensures the adherence to themaximum and minimum level in the housing of the screw filter press bymeans of level regulators. The inflow line to the catch basin isconnected to the housing nozzle coaxially in the horizontal directionand encompasses a shut-off valve 29 or a drain opening for the supplyline. Located opposite thereto, is the inlet of a flushing tube 31 asshown in FIG. 3.

In the event that a plurality of screw filter presses are arranged inseries, the horizontal sides of the housing nozzles are connected to ina tube bank 40 by welding and the screw filter presses areflange-mounted to the vertical connections (see, in particular FIG. 3).A level regulation is arranged herein as in the case of an individualscrew filter press, which must be dimensioned accordingly. Provision isalso made for a flushing tube 31 and a shut-off valve 29. The supply ofthe suspension takes place via the nozzle 35.

Due to the level regulation, a flow is created in the supply line or inthe tube bank which ensures that the suspension is always mixed evenly.However, larger foreign particles, which are significantly heavier,remain in the lower part of the supply line or in the tube bank.

Due to the fact that the screw shaft only reaches approximately into thecenter of the supply line or the tube bank, coarse solid matter candeposit at the bottom of the supply line and does not reach into thearea of the screw shaft. The deposits can be removed from time to timeby means of the flushing tube 31 via the shut-off valve 29.

If necessary, the screw shaft 10 is driven by an electric, pneumatic orhydraulic speed-controlled motor. The speed lies in the operating rangefrom 30 to 100 rpm.

On the drive side, a secondary transmission or a stepped transmissioncan be provided for reaching the speed. A gear motor can also be used. Aclaw coupling is used as coupling or if necessary, an adjustableoverload coupling.

The filter tube 3 is made of metal and the holes are carved by lasermethods, for example, in the desired shape, generally with a larger holecross section towards the housing inner side 6.

A cylindrical disk filter can also be used instead of a filter tube. Thescrew shaft is only supported on one side on the top in the supportplate and does not get damaged in response to making contact with thefilter tube. The screw shaft or the coils thereof are made of plastic.

In the vertical direction, the screw filter press, which stands upright,can roughly be divided into two areas, which must substantially fulfilltwo different objects.

The lower housing comprising the cylindrical filter tube can beidentified as filter area and the upper housing area up into the levelof the discharge opening can be identified as sliding area G. The filterarea F is approximately twice as high as the sliding area G.

The rotating screw shaft 10 conveys the suspension out of the supplyline 23 or the tube bank 40 and the suspension moves upwards along thecoils. The liquid is hereby separated from the solid matter. That is,the liquid drains into the filtrate space through the openings of thefilter tube 3. The rotation of the screw shaft thus also causes solidmatter to be hurled against the inner wall of the filter tube.

The flanges of the coils must in this area keep the inner wall of thefilter tube free. This takes place by the flanges scraping the solidmatter, so that the solid matter is further conveyed to the dischargeopening, and the solid matter forms a solid cake by removing liquid.

With an increase in dehumidification, the solid cake tends to settle onthe coil. In the sliding area, in which a solid cake has already formed,the slidability of the solid cake is most important and a further highdehumidification can even cause the solid cake to clump.

The screw shaft in the sliding area thus has the sole object ofconveying and it fulfills this task, provision is made for a play 5between 0.1 and 0.3 mm the inner wall of the sliding tube and the outerflange of the coils, so that the coils of the screw shaft do not abut onthe inner space of the sliding tube in the sliding area as shown in FIG.2 d.

In the filter area, however, the coil flanges remove the solids from theinner side of the filter tube 3, so that the drainage of the liquid isnot impeded.

FIGS. 2a-c show three different possibilities for embodying the elasticelements 38 at the coil flanges. FIG. 2a shows the insertion of a strip32 into a groove 33. The strip is an abrasion-resistant and elasticmaterial, such as polyurethane.

Another possibility for embodying the flanges is shown in FIG. 2b . Theflanges of the coils are turned here as well and a profile is attachedto the flange surface, either into a groove, or is adhered to the planarsurface. The profile of the flange pointing towards the filter tube, forexample, encompasses an attachment 34, which is approximately 2 mm wideand 3 mm high. The profile, like the strip, is the elastic,abrasion-resistant polyurethane.

FIG. 2c shows an attachment 34 to the coils as in FIG. 2b . In the caseof the screw shaft illustrated in FIG. 2c , the entire screw coil ismade of polyurethane (called vulcollan) or at least the part of thescrew coil in the filter area is made of polyurethane. In the slidingarea a play of from 0.1-0.3 mm exists between coil flange and innersurface of the sliding tube in the event that the entire screw shaft ismade of polyurethane.

The embodiment of the flange coils in the filter area in the case of thedescribed alternatives is always the same in dimension. For instance,the width of the flanges lies between 1-3 mm; the height lies between2-5 mm.

The mentioned material is vulcollan, which is a polyurethane, which isfoamed with water, which has highly-dynamic characteristics. Cellularvulcollan allows for approx. 80% compression in response to small crossexpansion and a minimal remaining deformation. See form list edition1992 of Paul Pleiger, Maschinenfabrik GmbH+Co.KG, Im Hammertal 51, 58456Witten 3.

Due to these physical characteristics, the screw shaft 10 is insertedinto the filter tube 3 in the filter area under slight prestress. It hasthus proven to be particularly advantageous for the installation to usean odd number of coils, e.g. 3, 5, 7.

As was already described, the solid matter is conveyed upwards to thedischarge opening 20 by the coils 14. A solid cake forms thereby, whichbecomes increasingly solid with increasing travel upwards.

To accelerate the formation of the solid matter cake, the underpressure,which is created by draining the filtrate, is regulated via theconnection 26 via a valve 36. In response to a constant underpressure ofapprox. 0.5 bar, which is set at the valve 36 from an external source ofunderpressure below atmospheric pressure 42 and which acts on thesuspension, liquid is not only removed from the suspension to a higherextent, but liquid is also removed from the solid cake in the slidingarea.

A constant underpressure below atmospheric pressure (e.g. 0.5 bar) hasonly been reached after the start-up phase when a solid cake has formedin the sliding tube 4, so that the air inflow from the area of thedischarge opening 20 is reduced, even almost eliminated.

Due to the removal of liquid, the solid cake often tends to form clumps.This can lead to the clogging of the individual coils.

The sliding tube for conveying grooves 27 prevents the formation ofclumps and provides a firm link of the solid cake to the coils, inparticular the coil base. See FIG. 2 d.

In the exemplary embodiment, eight conveying grooves 27 are inlongitudinal direction. These conveying grooves counteract the cloggingof the coils and increase the solid matter discharge. They can also beembodied in a spiral-shaped or helical manner instead of as uprightconveying grooves.

FIG. 3 shows a filter arrangement comprising four screw filter presses,which are connected in series.

The suspension is supplied to the four screw filter presses via a supplyline 23 in a tube bank 40. In the event that the four screw filterpresses cannot drain the quantity, which is supplied by a pump, theexcess is pumped into the catch basin 25. This catch basin is equippedwith a level regulation, so that a maximum level and a minimum level aredefined.

The suspension is always in motion in the tube bank by this levelregulation. On the one hand, it flows towards the catch basin, on theother hand, it flows from the catch basin back to the supply line sothat the suspension is thus always mixed.

The maximum level reaches approximately into the lower half of thesliding tube 4. The minimum level lies in the lower area of the filtertube. Due to the fact that the screw shaft 10 accommodates suspensionsonly from the upper half of the supply line 23, it is ensured thatlarger solid matter, which can lead to damages, cannot reach the coils.

In the event that solid matter should accumulate in the supply line orthe tube bank over time, they can be removed via the shut-off valve 29,which is connected to the inlet.

The suspension is guided upwards along the coils, wherein the speed ofthe screw shaft is increased or reduced, depending on the solid mattercontent, and/or the underpressure is increased. The speed and theunderpressure are always changed such that the desired consistency isreached in the solid cake.

On its way upwards, the separation of solid matter and liquid is carriedout to the provided extent. When the solid matter has reached thedischarge opening 20, it is discharged and the liquid is pumped off viathe filtrate drain nozzle 11.

The coils of the screw shaft 10 preferably encompass a pitch of between30° and 50°. A pitch of 45° has proven to be particularly advantageous.

In the event that a suspension comprising approx. 3% of solid mattercontent is supplied via the housing nozzle 22 in the case of a screwfilter press as illustrated in FIG. 1, the suspension is guided upwardsalong the coil turns. The liquid of the suspension is filtered throughthe filter tube 3 and reaches into the filtrate space 5. The filtratedrains from there or it is pumped off.

At the onset of the supply of the suspension, the screw shaft 10 is madeto rotate at approx. 50 to 60 rpm by means of the drive motor 15 so thatthe coil turn and the direction of rotation of the motor are oriented inthe same direction, provided that a reverse gear is not connectedin-between.

The grooves between the coils are such that the coils of the screw shaftinitially press the solid matter against the filter tube over and overand subsequently against the tube inner wall of the tube 4, and attemptto convey the solid matter towards the discharge. It is thus importantthat the embodiment of the groove spaces between the coils accumulatessolid matter and the dwell time of the solid matter in the coils of thescrew shaft can be adapted to the requirements, which is why a speed waschosen in a low range of approx. 50 rpm or why the underpressure isintensified. The type of suspension must be considered in response tothe selection of the screw shaft as well.

In a test facility, the screw shaft had five coils in response to atotal diameter of the screw shaft of 75 mm. The filter tube had a holesize of 0.1 mm. The height of the filter area F, from housing flange 9to flange 8 was 200 mm. The height of the sliding area G was approx. 100mm. The screw shaft was rotated at approx. 50 rpm. The ejected solidmatter pellets had a moisture content of approx. 75%. The underpressurein the filtrate space was approx. −0.4 bar.

The diameter of the coaxially arranged cylindrical sliding tube 4 and ofthe filter tube 3 was 75 mm. The conveyor groove depth was approx. 1 mm,a width of 3 mm and 8 conveyor grooves 8 were arranged at the periphery.

Such screw filter presses are used for separating solid matter andliquid in suspensions. Such suspensions, which are often called solidmatter suspensions, can be found in response to the fermenter slurryprocessing from biogas plants, for example, in slurry processing, insewage sludge disposal, in vegetable oil pressing systems, in fruitjuice production, in the recovery of recyclable material for processliquids, and in waste water cleaning and others.

To optimize the dehumidification, it may be necessary for the degree ofdehumidification of the solid material pellets to be measuredcontinuously or at certain intervals and for the speed of the screwshaft, for example, in the underpressure in the filtrate space to beregulated. The underpressure can be changed via a speed change of theexhaust pump or via an air inlet valve. This can be carried out manuallyor also via automatic regulations.

A further measure for improving the degree of dehumidification can beobtained from an exemplary embodiment as is illustrated in FIGS. 4a, band c . FIGS. 4a to c in each case show radial sectional views throughthe screw shaft 10, in different axial positions relative to the screwshaft 10. FIG. 4a shows a section through the screw shaft 10 in thesliding area, in which the screw shaft 10 is surrounded by the slidingtube 4. The sliding tube 4 with the screw shaft 10 encloses a conveyingspace 41 along the coil turns, which helically surround the screw shaft10. The filter tube 3 with the screw shaft 10 in each case encloses aconveying space 41 in the filter area as shown in FIGS. 4b and 4c . Itis noted at this point that the radial section shown in FIG. 4b islocated in the upper area along the filter area. FIG. 4c shows the screwshaft end which is surrounded by the filter tube 3 in axial viewingdirection. It is important that the cross section of the conveying space41 decreases from the lower screw shaft end in the direction of theupper screw shaft end. The condensing effect for the goods, which are tobe conveyed upwards by the screw shaft, increases towards the top. Ascrew shaft designed in this manner is mainly suitable for drying ordraining of suspensions, which contain easily compressible solid mattercontents.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 housing-   2 center axis-   3 filter tube-   4 sliding tube-   5 filtrate space-   6 housing inner wall-   7 filter tube outer wall-   8 flange-   9 housing flange-   10 screw shaft-   11 filtrate drain nozzle-   12 valve-   13 tube flange-   14 coil/coil turn-   15 drive motor/rotary drive-   16 support plate-   17 coupling-   18 plate-   19 hub-   20 discharge opening-   21 chute-   22 housing nozzle-   23 supply line-   24 lower part of the housing-   25 catch basin-   26 connection-   27 conveying grooves-   28 upper part of the housing-   29 shut-off valve-   30 collar-   31 flushing tube-   32 strip-   33 groove-   34 attachment-   35 nozzle-   36 valve-   38 elastic element-   40 tube bank-   42 source of below atmospheric pressure-   41 conveying space-   F filter area-   G sliding area-   S play-   α pitch angle

The invention claimed is:
 1. A screw filter press comprising: a screwshaft including at least one coil turn and two screw shaft ends fordriving a filtrate containing a suspension of solids upward uponrotation, a shaft axis of the screw shaft oriented parallel to a gravityvector and which is supported on one side via an upper screw shaft endwhich is connected to a rotary drive and which is enclosed coaxially, atleast in a lower partial filter area, by a cylindrical filter tube, withopenings and at which a filtrate space radially adjoins, to whichunderpressure is applied by an external source of underpressure belowatmospheric pressure; and a sliding tube, radially surrounding the screwshaft in a fluid-tight manner coaxial to the filter tube with an innerdiameter equal to an inner diameter of the filter tube; and wherein thesliding tube includes a discharge opening for solid filtrate at theupper screw shaft end, the equal inner diameter of the sliding tube andthe filter tube causing the filtrate to flow during operation of thepress, discharge of the solid filtrate with a controllable consistency,and the at least one coil turn of the screw shaft ending radiallyrelative to the screw shaft in a flange which revolves helically aroundthe screw shaft and which adjoins the filter tube at an inner wallthereof; the underpressure below atmospheric pressure from the externalsource is applied to liquid filtrate in the filtrate space for drawingliquid from the liquid filtrate in the filtrate space in a start-upphase and after the start-up phase drawing liquid from the filtrate in asliding area of the sliding tube.
 2. The screw filter press comprising:A screw shaft including at least one coil turn and two screw shaft endsfor driving a filtrate containing a suspension of solids upward uponrotation, a shaft axis of the screw shaft oriented parallel to a gravityvector and which is supported on one side via an upper screw shaft endwhich is connected to a rotary drive and which is enclosed coaxially, atleast in a lower partial filter area, by a cylindrical filter tube, withopenings and at which a filtrate space radially adjoins, to whichunderpressure is applied by an external source of underpressure belowatmospheric pressure; and a sliding tube, radially surrounding the screwshaft in a fluid-tight manner coaxial to the filter tube with an innerdiameter equal to an inner diameter of the filter tube; and wherein thesliding tube includes a discharge opening for solid filtrate at theupper screw shaft end, the equal inner diameter of the sliding tube andthe filter tube causing the filtrate to flow during operation of thepress, discharge of the solid filtrate with a controllable consistency,and the at least one coil turn of the screw shaft ending radiallyrelative to the screw shaft in a flange which revolves helically aroundthe screw shaft and which adjoins the filter tube at an inner wallthereof; the underpressure below atmospheric pressure from the externalsource is applied to liquid filtrate in the filtrate space for drawingliquid from the liquid filtrate in the filtrate space in a start-upphase and after the start-up phase drawing liquid from the filtrate in asliding area of the sliding tube; and the sliding tub has a length whichin the start-up phase causes the liquid in the liquid filtrate to bedrawn from the filtrate space to form the solid filtrate in the slidingarea which blocks the flow of air to the discharge opening.
 3. The screwfilter press according to claim 2, comprising: an elastic wiping lipalong the flange of the at least one coil turn in the filter area whichadjoins the filter tube with a prestress at an inner wall.
 4. The screwfilter press according to claim 3, wherein: the elastic wiping lip is anelastic abrasion-resistant material; and the elastic wiping lip has awidth of from 1-3 mm. and a height from 2-5 mm. which is elevatedrelative to the flange.
 5. The screw filter press according to claim 3,wherein: the elastic wiping lip is polyurethane.
 6. The screw filterpress according to claim 3, wherein: the elastic wiping lip isprefabricated and glued into a groove extending along the flange.
 7. Thescrew filter press according to claim 2, comprising: radial play betweenthe at least one coil turn of the screw shaft and the sliding tube. 8.The screw filter press according to claim 7, wherein: the radial playbetween the at least one coil turn of the screw shaft and the slidingtube is between 0.1 and 0.3 mm.
 9. The screw filter press according toclaim 3, wherein: speed of rotation of the rotary drive andunderpressure in the filtrate space are regulated.
 10. The screw filterpress according to claim 2, comprising: axial or spiral conveyinggrooves are disposed in an inner wall of the sliding tube.
 11. The screwfilter press according to claim 6, comprising: axial or spiral conveyinggrooves are disposed in an inner wall of the sliding tube.
 12. The screwfilter press according to claim 2, wherein: the screw shaft encompassesan odd number of coil turns.
 13. The screw filter press according toclaim 6, wherein: the at least one coil turn encompasses a pitch angleranging between 30°-50°, wherein the pitch angle is enclosed by a shaftaxis and a coil turn.
 14. The screw filter press according to claim 6,wherein: the sliding tube has a tube length half of a length of thefilter tube.
 15. The screw filter press according to claim 9, wherein:the sliding tube has a tube length half of a length of the filter tube.16. The screw filter press according to claim 2, comprising: a lowerscrew shaft end ending at a supply line; and the filter tube is attachedin a fluid tight manner to the supply line.
 17. The screw filter pressaccording to claim 2, wherein: the at least one coil turn of the screwshaft with a filter and the sliding tube encloses a conveying spacehelically surrounding the screw shaft; and the conveying space is largerin cross sectional area at the filter tube than at the sliding area. 18.The screw filter press according to claim 6, wherein: the at least onecoil turn of the screw shaft with a filter and the sliding tube enclosesa conveying space helically surrounding the screw shaft; and theconveying space is larger in cross sectional area at the filter tubethan at the sliding area.
 19. The screw filter press according to claim9, wherein: the at least one coil turn of the screw shaft with a filterand the sliding tube encloses a conveying space helically surroundingthe screw shaft; and the conveying space is larger in cross sectionalarea at the filter tube than at the sliding area.
 20. The screw filterpress according to claim 13, wherein: the at least one coil turn of thescrew shaft with a filter and the sliding tube encloses a conveyingspace helically surrounding the screw shaft; and the conveying space islarger in cross sectional area at the filter tube than at the slidingarea.
 21. The screw filter press according to claim 16, wherein: the atleast one coil turn of the screw shaft with a filter and the slidingtube encloses a conveying space helically surrounding the screw shaft;and the conveying space is larger in cross sectional area at the filtertube than at the sliding area.
 22. The screw filter press according toclaim 16, wherein: a cross section of a conveyor space taperscontinuously with increasing distance from the lower screw shaft end.23. The screw filter press of claim 2 comprising: a housing comprising alower part and an upper part wherein in the lower part of the housingthe filter tube is disposed coaxially to the screw shaft and thefiltrate space is located between the filter tube and an inner wall ofthe housing; and a pipe coupled to the lower part of the housing forconnection to the external source of the underpressure below atmosphericpressure for drawing liquid from the filtrate space and from a solidcake.